Among the plethora of female-male duo acts operating in the UK folk scene, Hannah Sanders and Ben Savage are in the group more than a little partial for mixing the sounds of the British Isles and the North American continent, most pertinently, Appalachia. 'But it all comes from the British Isles' is often mooted, though while largely correct from a traditional angle, arrangements, touches and versions tend to adopt a distinctive edge when travelling afar. The music of this acclaimed duo strands the fault line where homespun and Americana roots sounds diverge. This is hugely prominent on the brand new album where Sanders and Savage cast the magic wand of their musical artistry across an array of largely traditional songs. INK OF THE ROSY MORNING weighs in at a nice round number of ten tracks with the odd two out being the sole original from the pen of the duo and a contemporary cover designated to close the curtains on a serenely satisfying album.
The choice material for what is a third Hannah Sanders and Ben Savage full length release is very much close to their hearts with some having a stateside influence either as learnt from Doc Watson or inspired from a Newport Folk Festival airing. These lodge perfectly alongside those absolutely born from the beautiful surroundings of the English countryside. An informative liner booklet shares many thoughts on the songs for individual perusal.
An unsurprising feature of this album is its stripped back demeanour. No accomplices were required, just the contrasting blended voices and acres of prime string picking from gorgeous sounding guitars and dobros. There is a polished sheen to the finished product that makes this a smooth process of transmission. The listener is exposed to a tender and soothing experience as each song accumulates to conclude as an epitome of serenity. The vocals of Savage and Sanders start at different ends of the spectrum, filing an affirmative effect in solo mode before melting into a purple patch when colliding. Tones that rival any classically schooled English folk vocalist emanate from Hannah Sanders in full flow, while Ben Savage strides to own sparkling arrangements, most notably on 'When I First Come to Caledonia'.
'A-Life-A-Lie' sits proudly at the heart of this 38-minute album as the solo Sanders-Savage co-write. The other non-traditional track doubles up as the finale with 'River Don't Run' being first heard by the duo when sung by Nick Hart at a folk club. It has a very traditional feel in its subject content - 19th century London - although the product of a contemporary writing duo.
For a subtle touch on one of the album's promotional tracks, 'Polly O Polly' ends with a cheeky yee haw to sum up the homely simplicity of how this record has been put together. Never far away is the intrinsic playing that gives the album a solid structure for the arrangements to propel the credentials of this duo deeper and wider.
Whether you prefer your folk 'n' roots music wholly embedded into the homeland or enjoy adaptions that spread its tentacles further afield, Hannah Sanders and Ben Savage have covered all bases majestically in INK OF THE ROSY MORNING. It blossoms in the power of simplicity and creates an aura befit of the talents of its two architects. Definitely one to fit the English and Americana bill.